Policy

14 November, 2005

Voluntary sector gearing up for bigger role in public service delivery

Futurebuilders produce first learning report

A study commissioned by Futurebuilders England (FBE), entitled Investment with a Difference (Futurebuilders’ Learning Report), finds that voluntary and community sector organisations are well placed to provide high quality public services, especially those targeted at excluded sectors of the community.

Futurebuilders England is a Home Office backed £125m Investment Fund which aims to improve public service delivery through long-term investment in the voluntary and community sector. It focuses on five areas:

  • community cohesion;
  • crime;
  • education and learning;
  • health and social care; and
  • support for children and young people.
This study is the first FBE 'learning' report. In it, they not only describe what has been done after the first application round, but also tries to highlight what has been learnt. The report has been informed by surveys and analyses conducted by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) and Policy into Practice (PiP), two independent consultancies, as well as by their own surveys, feedback from investees and internal discussion.

There are a variety of advice and information services profiled within the report, including the Sickle Cell Advice Bureau, Cambridge Independent Advice Centre, North Liverpool Citizens Advice Bureau, NOAH Enterprise, and Off the Record. Additionally, there is information about the first round of spending under the Futurebuilders programme, including news that a total of 630 initial applications were made to the fund, with some 90 investment offers made up to the end of September 2005, totalling more than £35m.

For more information on the study, see the Futurebuilders England press release Voluntary sector gearing up for bigger role in public service delivery




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